[OPLINLIST] Smart phone Library Card application

Mon Aug 22 11:30:57 EDT 2011

Paris is correct about the problem of using the existing scanners in libraries with a barcode application like Card Star.  When I discovered Card Star about two years ago, I thought it a great idea.  It is a great idea, but the available technology hasn't caught up with the potential yet.   I tried the Card Star app with about different eight library systems.  Only one worked with the app.

Rather than carry a stack of cards, I'd prefer to use my smartphone to keep track of them.  By the way, I have set my smartphone to shut down after one minute of inactivity and to require a passcode every time I use it.  If you lose your smartphone, then whoever finds it must know your passcode.  The iPhone has a setting that if 10 incorrect passcodes are entered in a row, all the information on the phone is supposedly purged.  This protects your information.  Entering the passcode is not a problem.

Jimmie

Jimmie Epling
Director
Wayne County Public Library
304 N. Market Street / P.O. Box 1349
Wooster, OH 44691
O: 330.262.0986 / 330.804.4702  Ext. 7022
C: 606.923.1576
jepling at wcpl.info<mailto:jepling at wcpl.info>

"A different world cannot be built by indifferent people."

From: Paris Robertson [mailto:robertpa at oplin.org]
Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2011 4:09 PM
To: oplinlist at oplin.org
Subject: Re: [OPLINLIST] Smart phone Library Card application

Most existing barcode scanners in the library world will be of the single line laser variety and will only correctly read a smartphone card application on the screen between 0-5% of the time depending on several factors.

Newer, more expensive, CCD scanners that are on the market today will work just fine at scanning a smartphone's screen but my recommendation would be to ask yourself how many patrons would you serve by replacing all of your existing barcode scanners (my thought would be not very many).

As smartphones become more prevalent and more and more patrons expect this type of service it may become something that you'd want to re-address at a later time.  (The last statistic that I read said smartphones had about a 25% market share - however - this study didn't break down urban vs. rural users which I think would be a key decision point in adopting new library technology)

To answer your questions:

1)       Do you currently require ID along with a patron's library card or is having the only the card sufficient?  If having the card is the only criteria your library uses than I wouldn't see a problem with accepting a smartphone application.  After all, there isn't a way to verify that the person holding the card is the person you issued the card to, so why would the device be any different?

2)      CCD Scanners will scan smartphone screens.

3)      Anecdotes?  I've had no one in my community try to use their smartphone as a library card except myself.  I quickly found that our scanners don't work for that either!

4)      We aren't presenting them to our patrons however I did roll out a QR code (quick response) on our library newsletter last month.  So far I've had a grand total of ZERO people ask me what the heck is this thing, so I would assume that the people that know what it is don't need to ask, and the people who don't know what it is, assume it's something that won't affect or benefit them.  For more information about QR codes see this article:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_code

I hope this helps, please let me know if you decide to implement accepting smartphone applications in lieu of a physical card.  I'd be interested to know how it went and what the startup costs were.

-Paris Robertson
Deputy Fiscal Officer/Technology Coordinator
Upper Sandusky Community Library
301 North Sandusky Avenue
Upper Sandusky, OH 43351
PHONE (419) 294-1345
MOBILE (419) 310-8926
FAX - 419.294.4499
EMAIL - robertpa at oplin.org<mailto:robertpa at oplin.org>
WEB - http://www.upper-sandusky.lib.oh.us/

From: oplinlist-bounces at lists.oplin.org [mailto:oplinlist-bounces at lists.oplin.org] On Behalf Of Bruce Landis
Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2011 3:38 PM
To: 'SEO Library Mailing List'; OPLINLIST
Subject: [OPLINLIST] Smart phone Library Card application

Last night we had our first appearance of a patron using their Smartphone and a LibraryCard application.

In short, this application allows the user to load their Library Card number onto the device and then use the device to present a 'barcode' when checking out.  It is being used for coupons and boarding passes among other uses.

Example:
Use Your Smartphone as your Library Card!
[cid:image001.jpg at 01CC60BD.AC1D7980]Your library card can be digitized on your iPhone or iPod touch, Android, or BlackBerry using CardStar! CardStar is an app that allows you to consolidate your reward and club cards from grocery stores, video stores and the like onto your smartphone. It's entirely free and can be set up in minutes!
Results:   1. The 'barcode' as presented would not scan via our Metrologic laser scanner.  2. The patron was rather belligerent in demanding that we accept this method of 'ID';  3.  Circulation staff had not had any advance familiarity or experience with this development; 4. We have not had a policy in place for this development.
I would like to get feedback from the Ohio Library community in a few areas:

1.       Should this method be allowed without reservation or should additional ID be requested to validate the device?

2.       What barcode readers or configuration settings will 'handle' this display type?

3.       What anecdotal examples can you contribute concerning these applications?

4.       Are you currently presenting these applications to your patrons?
Thanks for any information you can share.
Bruce Landis
Technology Specialist
Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library
mailto:landisbr at oplin.org
v.(740) 702-4115 fx.(740) 702-4118

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